On Fort Monroe: Sasaki vs. Dover, Kohl

October 31, 2013

It was still five years before the military brass would need to ship out of Fort Monroe when Dover, Kohl and Partners was hired to map out a future for the historic Army post.

Those 2006 discussions lead to some early conclusions: historic buildings will be reused and the northern portion of the property can become prime park land. What should happen between that commercial and residential area and the park has been debated ever since.

In 2006, Dover, Kohl was paid more than $700,000 to create a reuse plan for Fort Monroe. After holding a weeklong series of meetings, the firm created three concepts that focused new construction to the north and east of the stone fort.

The future of the so-called Wherry Quarter has been debated since then. And a plan now awaiting Gov. Bob McDonnell's review doesn't do much to quell that discussion.

The Fort Monroe Authority board of trustees agreed on Oct. 24 to accept a master plan created by Sasaki Associates that also leaves the option open for new construction in the Wherry Quarter. But are the Sasaki and Dover, Kohl plans essentially the same?

Not according to Kathleen Kilpatrick, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

"It has troubled me greatly to hear or read the current plan termed by some as essentially a 'Dover Kohl, Part 2,'" she wrote in a letter to Fort Monroe Authority Executive Director Glenn Oder. "This agency is on record as strongly criticizing that earlier effort as an inappropriate overlay of 'new urbanism.'"

She continued that that Dover, Kohl's plan cut into the existing historic character on the property.

The Sasaki plan instructs the Fort Monroe Authority to continue reusing the existing buildings in the Wherry Quarter until the structures can no longer generate revenue. It might be 15 to 20 years before those buildings become old enough that it no longer makes sense to keep them standing.

Once those buildings are leveled, then the authority should decide if new construction is appropriate.

King Street work

In a couple weeks, a contractor will begin installing a center lane along North King Street, near Langley Air Force Base, and begin making underground sewer improvements. Motorists should expect some delays. The sewer work is expected to take about four months to complete.

Participate online

The city of Hampton is hosting an online forum for residents to provide input on potential projects. For more information and to participate, visit cityofhamptonva.mindmixer.com.

Robert Brauchle can be reached at 757-247-2827, rbrauchle@dailypress.com or twitter.com/dp_brauchle, and facebook.com/hamptonnews.